


Fear and Ferris Wheels

by byericacameron



Series: Canon AU [5]
Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: Acrophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-15
Updated: 2014-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-21 07:22:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2459780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/byericacameron/pseuds/byericacameron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zane can play along with a trip to the carnival, but he may have taken bravado too far by stepping onto a Ferris Wheel with Kelly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fear and Ferris Wheels

When Ty had suggested hanging out with some of the Sidewinder crew for a day so Zane could get to know them, this had  _not_ been what he had in mind.

“Whose idea was this again?” Zane asked as Nick’s Range Rover parked in the field masquerading as a parking lot this month. An honest to God county fair. They had to be joking. Zane had barely been a fan of these things as a kid. At least, not the rides part. And from the way Kelly had been talking on the drive over here, the rides were going to be a kind of big part of this trip.

Ty glanced at him in disbelief. “You really have to ask that?”

From the front seat, Kelly laughed. Zane shook his head. “Just wanted to make sure I knew who I was aiming for.”

“It was my turn to pick so fuck you all we’re going to the fair.” Kelly grinned at them and jumped out.

“Sometimes I’m not sure if he ever mentally made it past the age of five,” Nick said.  _After_  Kelly had closed the door.

Ty nodded. “Yeah, but then I remember how many different ways he could maim me and I keep that shit to myself.”

“Point,” Nick conceded.

Zane snorted as the two opened their doors in almost perfect synchronization. As much time as they’d spent apart in the last few years, it was obvious even from the stupid little things, how deep the bond between these guys went. If Zane was any less sure Ty loved him, it might piss him off a little.

They got through the gate and into the park without incident. Except for a few confused glances at Kelly’s obvious and unrestrained glee. The guy was giving the kids a run for their money already and they’d only been on the grounds five minutes.

“I almost forgot how entertaining he is when we load him up on sugar and set him loose like this,” Ty observed as Kelly obliterated the target in one of the shooting games.

Zane smirked wryly. “If this is what sugar does to him I’m not sure I ever want to see him on caffeine.”

Ty smiled back, but it wasn’t the smile Zane expected to see. This one was softer and almost glowing, the one Zane usually only saw first thing in the morning or when Zane had done something stupidly over-the-top romantic. “Thank you, by the way.”

“For what?”

“Agreeing to this without much of a fight.” He glanced at his friends, watching Kelly taunt Nick as Nick tried to beat his score at the game. “I know fairs aren’t your thing, so I just…thank you.”

“They’re your best friends, doll. I want to get to know them.” He wrinkled his nose as a family walked by with piles of food that, combined, gave off a really strange smell. “Even if it is at a fair.”

Ty gently ran his fingers down the side of Zane’s face before the soft smile gave way to the one Zane was more used to seeing. In public, anyway.

“So who won?” Ty asked as Nick and Kelly approached.

“I did.” Kelly’s grin had somehow gotten even wider.

“Cheated?” Ty asked Nick.

Nick nodded, his thumb running across his lip like he was trying to hide his smile. “Cheated.”

“ _I_  do not cheat.”

“Please.”

“It’s called winning. Don’t be a sore loser just because you still haven’t won against me, Ty.”

Ty rolled his eyes. “You’re lucky there are civilians around, Abbott.”

“Or what? You’d challenge me to a dual? You’re only worried about the civs ‘cause you don’t want them to witness your inevitable defeat.” Kelly smirked and jogged off to the next game clutching a giant stuffed alien-looking creature to his chest.

Nick watched him go, amusement obvious on his face. “I’m gonna go make sure he doesn’t blow something up. It might be a good idea to start distracting him with rides.”

Zane watched Kelly bounce impatiently in the short line for a game involving darts and a wall of water balloons and nodded. “He’s gonna end up pissing off a bunch of carnies and taking all the best prizes from the kids.”

“Nah. He gives all the shit he wins at these things to kids he sees who can’t win stuff.”

“Or donates it to a local family shelter,” Ty added.

“That’s…actually really awesome.”

“He’s good people,” Nick said. “You should see him with the kids at his camp. Those little shits adore the hell outta that guy.”

Zane watched Kelly step up to the booth, slap his money down, and quickly pop five balloons in quick succession. By the end of round, he’d racked up enough points to walk away with a huge teddy bear wearing a princess crown. It looked weird in his arms next to the alien especially since the two of them were so big Zane could barely see Kelly behind them.

“I won,” Kelly needlessly announced when he stopped in front of them.

“No shit?” Ty gasped like this was shocking news.

“Never would’ve guessed, Doc.” Nick’s delivery was as wry as the smile on his face.

“How ‘bout that one, Kelly?” Ty asked, pointing to one of the rides they could see over the short tents of the game booths.

“You know it,” Kelly laughed.

Wristbands at the ready, the four of them got in line with a bunch of kids and teenagers for a ride. He glanced at the other three and wondered how anyone but Kelly was going to even  _fit_  in those seats. Nick maybe, but Zane had about four inches on him. Plus, the whole contraption didn’t look stable and Zane really didn’t like the rattling noise it made when it moved and wow that thing was high. Though he’d considered getting on a few rides when they made these plans, now that he was staring it in the face….

Nope. Nada. Not happening.

When they got to the front of the line, Zane held out his hands. “I’ll hold that while you guys go,” he said to Kelly.

Kelly’s eyebrows furrowed. “I was just gonna sit on them or something. You’re not coming?” 

“Somebody’s got to guard this menagerie you’re collecting.”

Frowning slightly, Kelly looked at his armful of fluff and back at Zane. “Yeah but usually we just stuff them into the carts with us.”

“Just give him the damn plushies, Doc.”

“You’re sure you don’t want to come with, man?” Kelly asked.

Zane looked up at the ride, one that spun you in circles and lifted you about thirty feet in the air. He swallowed hard and tried to keep himself from turning green. “I’m good.”

“Is it the height thing?” Ty asked so quietly Zane was sure the others couldn’t hear. Zane glanced at him out the corner of his eye and lifted one shoulder. Yes and no. Zane’s fear of heights definitely played a part, but only a part. Even taking that out of the equation, this did not seem like a good plan.

So Sidewinder went on the ride and Zane stayed by the exit gate, his feet planted firmly on solid ground.

It did feel a tiny bit like babysitting after that. Zane held on to Kelly’s continuously growing collection of toys and animals and prizes while Ty and his Sidewinder boys did their best to revert to third graders. Third graders with military training. Only Ty and his Recon boys would turn the haunted house into a tactical exercise. Even after watching it happen and listening to the analysis of it afterward, Zane still wasn’t sure who had come out on top in that little game.

Everything was fine until Kelly stopped collecting things and started giving them away instead. By the end of the evening, Kelly had brightened up a lot of days and Zane had no excuse handy when Kelly grinned at the three of them.

“One last ride. Zane has to go on one at least!”

Of course, the only thing Kelly hadn’t been on at least twice was the ferris wheel. He’d declared it too tame at the time.

“Haven’t you had enough yet, Doc?” Ty asked.

“Nope. C’mon. You don’t have the animals as an excuse, Garrett. You’re getting on this ride unless you can give me an incredibly compelling reason why not.”

Kelly crossed his arms, eyebrows high. He look mulish and ready to argue Zane out of every point he brought up. Zane looked up at the massive wheel. It was a newer looking model, one that had circular buckets instead of the old-school benches for two. The whole thing gleamed with bright paint and glowing, colorful lights. It looked surprisingly sturdy and, unlike most of the other rides, operated with only the engine noise to let people know it was on. No rattling or rumbling like the entire thing was about to fucking collapse. It was, however, the tallest structure of them all. Nothing else in the fair would take them up as high as this.

Zane caught Ty’s eye. Ty was just waiting, no judgment and no expectation. He knew Ty would back him up either way and that was what made Zane finally nod.

“Yeah, fine. Let’s go before I change my mind.”

Zane second-guessed himself as soon as he stepped in line. Third-guessed when they were about halfway up. Fourth-guessed when they were waiting for an empty bucket to arrive. It wasn’t until the door to the bucket shut behind them that he had a mini what-the-fuck-was-I-thinking panic attack.

Oh shit this had been such a bad idea.

But the bucket was already lurching as the wheel got moving. And they had been the last car to fill, so there was no stopping it now. Zane was on and stuck and  _oh God please let me not puke in this thing_.

Kelly knelt on the seat and peered out over the edge of the bucket. “I love the views from these things. Especially at night. It’s like getting two sets of stars when the place is all lit up at night. One in the sky and one down there.”

The way he talked about it, it sounded gorgeous—magic almost—but just the thought of looking out at it made Zane’s body freeze and his stomach flip.

“You all right?” Ty asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“Yep.” Zane kept his eyes firmly locked on the pole in the center of the bucket.

“You lying to me?”

Zane smiled a little. “Maybe.”

“Don’t worry, baby.” Ty pressed a soft kiss below his ear. “I won’t push you out this time.”

The laugh burst out of him. The memory—particularly at this precise moment—was both hysterical and terrifying. At least on the cruise ship they’d had a pool to land in. There was nothing but people and metal and grass below them now.

Oh God this was such a bad idea.

“I wonder if I could get this thing to flip.”

“Kelly,” Ty said, warning in his voice.

Kelly ignored him. “You know, like a swing?”

Zane closed his eyes as the bucket began to rock.

“You’re an idiot, Kels,” Nick said.

Kelly ignored him.

“Abbott, seriously. Stop it.”

“What do you think the weight ratio and force would have to be to make it happen?” Kelly was still fucking rocking the bucket.

Zane grabbed Ty’s arm with one hand and wrapped the other around the edge of the plastic bench he was sitting on, praying fast to any power that would listen. He did not want to die on a fucking ferris wheel!

Ty’s fingers stroked the back of Zane’s hand, the motion soothing and reassuring. Until the bucket rocked so hard Zane’s back slammed against the side of the bucket and his feet lifted off the ground and his body stared trembling so bad he was sure he was going to go tumbling out and holy shit!

He may or may not have whimpered like a baby.

“Abbott, knock it off or I will push you out of this thing I swear to fucking god,” Ty snapped.

“Whoa, Grady. What crawled up your ass?”

Zane felt Ty moving, but he didn’t speak. It was so clear in Zane’s head what was happening—the hand signals Ty was probably using to both threaten his friend’s life and explain why. Zane suddenly  _wanted_  the bucket to open up and just drop him out. These were guys who leapt out of helicopters and who knew what else and Zane couldn’t handle a ferris wheel.

“Garrett you look green.” Nick sounded worried. “You all right?”

He opened his mouth, but his stomach threatened to send dinner back up. Zane shut it again and nodded, his eyes still squeezed shut tight.

“He’s got a thing with heights,” Ty said.

“And he let me talk him onto a ferris wheel?” Kelly sounded appalled. “What the fuck, man? Compelling reason! I told you to give me a compelling reason! This is a pretty fucking compelling reason.”

“Well it’s not like he expected you to try to flip the fucking thing,” Nick said.

“Excuse you. Have you  _met_  me?”

“Yeah, Doc. But he doesn’t know your crazy that well.”

“But Ty does! What the fuck, Six?”

The bucket was only gently shifting now, the movement restricted to what the motion of the wheel would normally allow. Zane finally managed to swallow and words became something he was capable of again. “It’s  _fine_. I’m good.”

He could hear Nick and Kelly whispering, but what they were saying was too low for him to understand. Or no… was that German? It was something. Definitely not English.

Whatever they were whispering about in foreign languages only lasted a few seconds. Then there was a beat of tense silence before Kelly asked, “So is this a recent development or a long-standing phobia?”

Ty answered before Zane could. “I threw him off a balcony last year.”

“You  _what_?” Kelly shouted. “Why the hell haven’t I heard  _that_  story yet?”

Ty told the story—leaving out only the “I love you” declaration—and Zane had time to get his pulse under control and settle his stomach before the bucket finally—oh my fucking god  _finally_ —came to an end.

The guys moved their legs out of the way and didn’t say a thing as Zane wound past them to get the hell out of that deathtrap.

Outside of the death-wheel’s fenced-off land, Zane leaned against a utility pole and dug his feet into the dirt. If only to remind himself that it was there. He felt like an idiot—of  _course_  Kelly wasn’t going to tip the stupid bucket over; Zane didn’t even think it was physically possible—but there had been absolutely no way for him to grasp that when he was thirty feet in the air. And now he’d made a complete fool of himself in front of two of the guys whose opinions Ty valued above almost anything else in the world.

He heard footsteps approaching and Zane expected Ty to start mothering him. Instead he heard Kelly’s voice.

“I really am sorry, Garrett. I wouldn’t have done that if I’d known.” When Zane met his eyes, Kelly was looking up at him with eyes that looked slightly gray in the light, his repentance obvious.

Zane took a long breath and shuddered slightly as his adrenaline began to lower. “Not your fault. I’ve been trying to work on it. It’s a stupid thing to be this scared of.”

“Fear is irrational or experience based. If it’s an experience than chances are you’ve got a damn good reason for being scared of that something. If it’s irrational…” Kelly shrugged. “It’s irrational. Try to desensitize or logic your brain out of it all you want. Isn’t gonna work.”

“Yeah.” That didn’t make him feel much better but it did help. A little.

“The part where you beat yourself up for being afraid of something after?” Kelly nodded. “Also irrational. And annoying as hell.”

It was easy to see why Ty loved these two so much and how they’d both been able to weather the storms of Ty’s temper for so many years. Nick and Kelly seemed to have the same way of rolling with the punches, something neither Ty nor Zane had ever been able to master. At least not in the same way. Zane smiled slightly, the expression becoming more natural when he felt Ty’s hand between his shoulder blades.

“Ready to go, Lone Star?”

He glanced up at the ferris wheel and shuddered. “Yeah. Let’s go.”


End file.
